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DDN

8/22/06

Bengals notes
Bad preseason rush stats don't concern Lewis


By Chick Ludwig
Staff Writer

Tuesday, August 22, 2006


CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Bengals fans, concerned about the team's poor preseason rushing totals, got some reassuring news Monday.
"We'll be fine," head coach Marvin Lewis said, "when it's time to be fine."
The Bengals have rushed 59 times for 198 yards, a 3.4 average, and one touchdown. Within those ugly numbers are Rudi Johnson's unsightly statistics — six carries for minus-5 yards. Quarterback Doug Johnson has the team's only rushing TD.
"We want to make sure we're on track and blocking the right way," Lewis said. "That's our most important role and that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to look at our players in different situations and not really worry about the schematics of 'what' and 'how.' We just want to see 'who.' "
Johnson isn't worried.
"We're trying out some new plays, something we haven't done in the past," he said. "Fans shouldn't be worried. I'm not."
Henry's trial
Wide receiver Chris Henry's trial date in Orlando, Fla., hasn't officially been set. But the two-week trial window started Monday in the 9th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. He's charged with possession of a concealed firearm stemming from his Jan. 28 arrest.
He's back
Wide receiver Antonio Chatman finally returned to practice after suffering a pelvic strain late last month.
"I'm about to go crazy," he said. "I'm tired of watching. I want to get out there and make some plays like my teammates. I'm trying my best to get all my rehabs in and come back strong."
Tale of two tackles
Right offensive tackle Willie Anderson was asked to critique the play of Andrew Whitworth and Stacy Andrews, who started at left and right tackle at Buffalo.
"They played well," Anderson said. "The big thing is you always want to make sure that the quarterback doesn't get killed. Our quarterbacks (Anthony Wright and Doug Johnson) didn't get killed."
'A little greedy'
Cornerback Keiwan Ratliff had nobody to blame but himself after getting burned by Bills wide receiver Lee Evans for a 46-yard TD.
"He ran a double move, and I got a little greedy," Ratliff said. "I went for the pump-fake and I should have just played the receiver instead of the quarterback.
"It takes a short memory to be a corner. Once you start erasing those negatives and keep 'em all positive, then you're on the right track."
Perry fallout
Lewis said tailback Chris Perry was "just frustrated" when he criticized the Bengals medical staff Sunday.
"Maybe he said a little bit more than he should say," Lewis said. "But he's injured. He's working his butt off to get himself back and, hopefully soon, he'll be healthy."
Season ends
Cornerback Rashad Bauman was placed on season-ending Injured Reserve because of a torn patella tendon in his left knee.
 
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Cincy

8/23/06

Secondary is survival of fittest
Bengals notebook

BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->Injuries are weeding out the competition, at least for now, in the Bengals' defensive secondary.
A day after the Bengals lost cornerback Rashad Bauman for the season to a knee injury, safety Anthony Mitchell was placed on the injured-reserve list Tuesday because of a serious foot sprain and also was lost for the season.
Mitchell was hurt in the preseason opener against the Redskins.
Bauman suffered a torn patella tendon toward the end of the second preseason game at Buffalo. He underwent surgery Monday but visited the team's locker room and training room Tuesday between practices. He said he would stay in Cincinnati to rehabilitate.
The Bengals also waived rookie tailback Terrence Whitehead as an injured player. He hurt his toe at Buffalo last week.
If he clears waivers, Whitehead would revert to the Bengals, on their injured-reserve list.
In addition to losing Mitchell to injury, the Bengals had waived Tony Bua, leaving them with six safeties.
Behind starting free safety Madieu Williams on the depth chart are Kevin Kaesviharn and rookie seventh-round draft pick Ethan Kilmer.
The starter at strong safety is Dexter Jackson, with Herana-Daze Jones and John Busing behind him. Busing is a rookie free agent who played linebacker at Miami University.
THE RETURNS: The Bengals held their last two-a-day practice session of the preseason Tuesday.
Linebacker David Pollack (hamstring), left offensive tackle Levi Jones (ankle) and wide receiver Chris Henry (hamstring) returned to practice.
Henry, after sitting out the Buffalo game, said he is hoping to return for the Green Bay game Monday.
The second-year receiver said he thinks he hurt his hamstring because he was compensating for a weakened knee, which he has rehabilitated. Henry suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury in the playoff loss to Pittsburgh last January.
Quarterback Carson Palmer participated in the morning practice but, in keeping with his training regimen, worked out indoors with strength and conditioning coaches during the afternoon.
TOPS: After two preseason games, the Bengals lead the NFL in points (63) and point differential (plus-29).
FOUR IN A ROW: Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson is attempting to become the first NFL receiver since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to win four consecutive receiving yardage titles.
Johnson last season won his third AFC receiving yards title in a row, joining former Raiders receiver Tim Brown (1993-95) as the only AFC players to accomplish the hat trick. Former 49ers great Jerry Rice won three NFC receiving yards titles the same years as Brown.
Before the merger, Packers receiver Don Hutson won four receiving yards titles in a row, from 1941 to 44.
OMEN DEPARTMENT: The Bengals are 2-0 in the preseason and shooting to be the first Bengals team since the 1988 AFC champions to post a winning preseason record.
The past 10 Super Bowl champions have compiled a .707 preseason winning percentage with a combined 29-12 record.
E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com
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DDN

8/23/06

Rookie looks like more than 5th string

Bengals tailback Dorsey hopes two big preseason outings earn him a job.


By Chick Ludwig
Staff Writer


Wednesday, August 23, 2006


CINCINNATI — Pacing the sideline, Cincinnati Bengals tailback DeDe Dorsey is a bundle of nervous energy.
"There's always the questions, 'Am I ready? Can I play with them?' " he said. "But once you get past all the hype, it's just playing football."
The undrafted rookie from Lindenwood University (an NAIA school in St. Charles, Mo.) is fifth string on the depth chart behind Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, Chris Perry and Quincy Wilson. But his performance in two preseason games is proof the NFL hasn't overwhelmed him.
Dorsey (5-foot-11, 196 pounds) rushed six times for a team-high 68 yards — all in the final 7:21 — of the Bengals' 19-3 victory over Washington. Then he generated 102 all-purpose yards (80 receiving, 22 rushing) in a 44-31 triumph at Buffalo.
"When I'm on the sideline, Jeremi Johnson and Rudi Johnson are talking to me, telling me to just calm down and play my game," said Dorsey, who leads the squad with 90 yards rushing in 12 attempts for a 7.5-yard average. "Those are my veteran mentors. They keep me grounded, keep me sane, keep me ready to go.
"I'm trying to earn a job. Every time you step on the field, you have to prove yourself. It was good to show that first game wasn't a fluke. It was good to show that, yes, I can do it consistently."
On his first carry against the Redskins, Dorsey dashed 46 yards off right tackle. Later, he burst off left tackle for 20 more. In the fourth quarter at Buffalo, he caught a middle screen from Doug Johnson and dashed 59 yards to the Bills' 4.
"I just run away from the bad guys," Dorsey said.
Right guard Bobbie Williams loves watching Dorsey run.
"He's got the wheels, man," Williams said. "He can motor. That's what you want your back to do because it's such a good asset to the team."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253
or cludwig@daytondailynews.com

DDN

8/23/06

BENGALS NOTES
Pollack must earn way back into starting lineup


By Chick Ludwig
Staff Writer


Wednesday, August 23, 2006


CINCINNATI — Strong-side linebacker David Pollack will have to earn his way back into the starting lineup.
Finally healthy after suffering a pulled hamstring in the Aug. 4 intrasquad scrimmage at Georgetown College, Pollack returned to practice on Tuesday only to discover he's behind Rashad Jeanty, who started the first two preseason games.
<!--endtext--><!--endclickprintinclude-->"He's got competition now, and everybody knows that," defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan said about Pollack. "He's stayed up on it mentally. I never worry about him mentally. He's a gym rat. He's a film rat. But he needs to get reps on the field, and that's what he's doing now.
"We're not going to throw him back in and get him 85 reps the first day. He's going to work his way back — and earn his way back into it."
• Backup right offensive tackle Stacy Andrews is his own toughest critic. He started at Buffalo on Friday night.
"There's a few technical issues I've got to get tightened up," he said. "Even though I felt I held my own, I've got to do better and clean up some things. Then it'll be smooth sailing."
• Strong safety Anthony Mitchell was placed on injured reserve, ending his season. He suffered a severely sprained foot in the preseason opener against Washington.
• Rookie tailback Terrence Whitehead was waived after sustaining a toe injury during the game at Buffalo. If he clears waivers, he'll be placed on injured reserve.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@daytondailynews
 
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DDN

8/24/06

BENGALS NOTES
Johnson lets the quotes pour out


By Chick Ludwig
Staff Writer


Thursday, August 24, 2006


CINCINNATI — Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson — Mr. Golden Hair Surprise — can keep quiet for only so long.
Then he speaks. And everything that emanates from "No. 85" is, well, quotable.
You name it — his botched end zone celebration in Buffalo; his blond Mohawk hairdo; his quarterback, Carson Palmer; and his rivalry with Green Bay cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson — Johnson touched 'em all as he prepared to face the visiting Packers in a nationally televised preseason game on Monday night.
Surely, he's eager to see Packers quarterback Brett Favre.
"No," Johnson said. "I'm excited to see Al and Charles. It's going to be a good one. I'm going to be talking."
So what happened after your 9-yard TD catch at Buffalo?
"I was playing around when I scored," he said, "I was asking the ref to celebrate with me, but I really didn't have anything planned. It's preseason. I can't waste the material. Monday I might do something."
The game marks the season debut for Palmer, who had left knee surgery on Jan. 10.
"We will put on a show for his return," Johnson said. "He won't talk like that, but I'll talk like that for him. He's a lot better than last year, a lot smarter. He's in a comfortable stage right now — with the system and the receivers. With the people he has around him, Big Willie (Anderson) and the line, us, it makes his job easy."
Johnson said the fan response to his golden locks has been phenomenal.
"They love it," he said. "There are shirts being made right now (that) I'm sure everyone's going to grab. They look real nice. The last home game, they had some shirts that are all black. Black and gold (hair) and gold (teeth) is all you see."

Cincy

8/24/06

Injury opens door for Jeanty
BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->One of the few pluses of a preseason injury to a starter is the opportunity it might provide a newcomer to show what he can do.
When Bengals strong-side linebacker David Pollack suffered a pulled hamstring Aug. 4 in an intrasquad scrimmage, Canadian Football League veteran Rashad Jeanty received hundreds of practice snaps and two preseason starts.
And he made the most of the face time with his coaches.
"He has done a fantastic job," Bengals linebackers coach Ricky Hunley said. "He is a real pro. ... He has played through toe and groin (injuries) and just kept going."
Jeanty is poised to become one of the season's pleasant surprises. He appears to be headed for heavy duty on special teams and on defense in a situational role - rushing the passer. He had eight sacks in 14 games for the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos in 2005.
That said, the 22-year-old rookie from Central Florida is a work in progress.
"When you take a guy who played with his hand down (defensive end) and stand him up (at linebacker), he is going to have to adjust to the pass scheme," Hunley said.
Jeanty, signed in February after three seasons in the CFL, has seven defensive tackles and a half-sack through the Bengals' first two exhibition games. He leads special teams with two solo tackles.
Jeanty is no ordinary NFL rookie. He played only two years of college ball and signed his first pro contract in Canada at age 19.
He has a firm grasp of his abilities, and there's a maturity and seriousness to him. He believes he can have an impact for the Bengals.
"Pass rushing, just for the pure fact I've been doing that my whole life," he said of the area he can contribute most quickly. "I want to improve on every part of my game. I want to be good against the run, drop in coverage (and) play special teams well. I'm just not satisfied with being here."
E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com
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Dispatch

8/24/06

NAIA standout makes solid run at job with Bengals

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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DeDe Dorsey has a simple running philosophy.
"Run from the bad guys," he said with a smile.
The bad guys the Cincinnati Bengals running back is running from these days are a lot bigger, faster and stronger than he’s used to.
It’s a big jump from even the Ohio States of the college world to the NFL. Imagine the leap Dorsey is trying to make coming from an NAIA school, Lindenwood (Mo.) University.
So far, Dorsey has adjusted well. He is Cincinnati’s leading rusher through two exhibition games with 12 carries for 90 yards, including a 46-yarder on his first carry in the opener against Washington.
"It was kind of a relief," Dorsey said. "There’s always the question, ‘Can I play? Am I going to do it?’ To come in and your first run to break one, it was off my back and then it was just playing."
He also is the Bengals’ thirdleading receiver thanks to a 59-yard gain on a short pass against Buffalo.
"He’s making plays, and that’s what this game is about," running backs coach Jim Anderson said.
A native of Broken Arrow, Okla., Dorsey said Big 12 colleges recruited him until he suffered a broken ankle and dislocated shoulder as a high school senior. He enrolled at Ottawa (Kan.) University and followed coach Patrick Ross to Lindenwood.
Dorsey played his first three seasons at safety, earning NAIA All-America honors as a junior. Late that season, he switched to running back when injuries hit the offensive backfield. As a senior, Dorsey ran for 1,600 yards and 18 touchdowns to earn All-America honors again.
"He’s got height, weight and quickness," Anderson said of the 5-foot-11, 196-pound Dorsey, who has run a 4.4-second 40-yard dash. "All the things he’s showing us on the field he showed at the workout. He’s just young and inexperienced at our level. But every week he gets better and better."
Dorsey remains a long shot to make the team. The Bengals will likely keep three halfbacks. Rudi Johnson is the starter and Chris Perry the backup, though Perry could land on the physicallyunable-to-perform list. If that happens, Dorsey would have to beat out third-down back Kenny Watson or Quincy Wilson, who has also been impressive. If Dorsey doesn’t make the final 53-man roster, he would be a strong candidate for the practice squad.
brabinowitz@dispatch.com
 
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Palmer will play Monday night

Bengals QB will make debut seven months after injury

Posted: Thursday August 24, 2006 2:26PM; Updated: Thursday August 24, 2006 2:34PM
p1_palmer_si2.jpg

Carson Palmer hasn't talked to coach Marvin Lewis and offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski about how much he will play.



CINCINNATI (AP) -- Carson Palmer is ready to play.
With his rebuilt knee holding up in practice, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback said Thursday that he will play in the next preseason game, stepping on the field and taking a hit for the first time since his injury in the playoffs seven months ago.
Palmer is expected to start against the Green Bay Packers on Monday night, when his left knee will get its biggest test yet.
"I'm going to play," Palmer said Thursday. "Nothing's changed. We set out this date a while back, and everything's been on schedule and I've been fortunate enough to progress from day to day and week to week. So, I'll be out there for the first time this year."
Palmer hasn't talked to coach Marvin Lewis and offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski about how much he will play. He expects to come to a decision in the next couple of days.
When he jogs onto the field at Paul Brown Stadium on Monday night, he'll have come full circle. He was carted off the same field on Jan. 8 after Pittsburgh's Kimo von Oelhoffen hit the side of his knee on his first pass during a 31-17 playoff loss, tearing two ligaments and causing other damage.
He has practiced with the starting offense in minicamp and training camp, but sat out the first two preseason games because he didn't feel ready to give the knee its most crucial test -- seeing how it holds up when he's going full-speed and getting hit.
Now, he is.
"I'll get hit," Palmer said. "I'll get knocked around a little bit. It'll feel good because I haven't been doing that in training camp. I've been preparing for that."
His teammates are eager to see him back on the field. Like everyone else, they're wondering how he'll come through it.
"I know I would be nervous, so I'm assuming he's going to be nervous," receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. "It'll be interesting. I'm anxious to see how he'll hold up. You don't want to see him get hit, but you do kind of want to see him get hit to see him get up."
If Palmer has no setbacks, he's expecting to play in the final preseason game and then start the season at Kansas City on Sept. 10.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/nfl/specials/preview/2006/08/24/bc.fbn.bengals.palmer.ap/index.html
 
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Dispatch

8/25/06

BENGALS
Palmer ready to test knee
Quarterback will return to action against Packers

Friday, August 25, 2006

Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CINCINNATI — The wait is over; let the anxiety begin.
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer will make his much-anticipated return to the field Monday when the Bengals play host to the Green Bay Packers in an exhibition game in Paul Brown Stadium.
"I’m confident," Palmer said. "I’m excited. I’m hoping we’re going to move the ball, and I’ll get a chance to move it around and put myself in a bunch of different situations to get ready for the (Sept. 10 season opener)."
One of those situations, inevitably, will involve Palmer being knocked flat on his back or crumpled in a pile of Packers defenders. That’s life in the NFL.
Palmer’s recovery after suffering two blown knee ligaments in a playoff game last January has been on schedule, perhaps a little ahead.
The next hurdle to clear, taking a hit to his lower body, might be the biggest one, at least psychologically.
"I’ll get hit," Palmer said. "I’ll get knocked down a bit, and it’ll feel good because I haven’t had that yet in training camp. If I get (hit low) a couple of times, that’s great. My knee is stable enough to withstand it. I’m going to have a knee brace on, too, so I’ll be ready for that.
"How will I react? I won’t know until it happens."
The Bengals won’t say how much Palmer will play against the Packers. It could be two series. It could be two quarters. Palmer’s teammates will keep their fingers crossed in the huddle.
"I’m curious to see how he’s going to react, how he’s going to hold up," receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. "I’m just hoping he’ll be all right. That’s the main thing."
Palmer seems less worried than everybody else.
When training camp started, the Bengals limited Palmer’s snaps as a precaution. Slowly he has stepped it up, reaching the point where he can tuck the ball and run out of the pocket with ease.
"The last couple of weeks I haven’t been worried about the (pass) rush," Palmer said. "I’ve been just looking at the defense, looking downfield. I feel like in the last month I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable with it, and now I’m looking forward to doing it in a live-game setting."
It shouldn’t take Palmer long to get adjusted. He has looked sharp in practice, throwing to his favorite targets, Chad Johnson and Houshmandzadeh.
"He knows how we move, just being around us," Houshmandzadeh said. "I’m sure after the first few plays, it’ll be back to normal. The first few weeks of training camp, some of the balls were coming out high, because he was getting settled, getting comfortable. But the last two weeks, they’re right on the money every time, just like the old Carson."
aportzline@dispatch.com
 
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Cincy

8/25/06​

Bengals notebook
Adams says his return is Lewis' call; LB Pollack is expected to play on Monday against the Packers

BY KEVIN KELLY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis indicated earlier this week that defensive tackle Sam Adams could play in one of the two remaining preseason games.
The veteran didn't play in either of the first two preseason games because he has not been medically cleared to practice yet.
"How do I feel physically? How do I look?" Adams said Thursday. "I've been working on my girlish figure for about a month."
The three-time Pro Bowl selection, who has started 150 of his 179 career NFL games played over 12 seasons, was asked if he anticipated playing against the Packers on Monday.
"Whatever he (Lewis) says, that's what we'll do," Adams said. "If he says I'm ready then I'm ready to go. It's not like I have a choice."
READY TO GO: A hamstring injury suffered during a scrimmage earlier this month has kept linebacker David Pollack from playing in the team's first two preseason games.
He's back practicing and is expected to play against the Packers on Monday.
"It's not fun to watch. It's not fun to be a spectator," said Pollack, who had 35 tackles and 4½ sacks in 14 games last season. "You might as well buy a ticket and be in the stands. It's going to be fun to get back out there with my teammates and be one of them and not watching."
ROSTER MOVE: Rookie running back Terrence Whitehead cleared waivers Wednesday and reverted to the team's reserve/injured list Thursday. Whitehead suffered a toe sprain against Buffalo on Aug. 18 and was waived Tuesday.
FAST FACT: The Bengals last played the Packers during the preseason on Aug. 24, 1991 at Milwaukee County Stadium.
The Bengals won 19-16 in overtime. Jim Breech kicked a 31-yard field goal to tie the game with three seconds remaining in regulation and won it with a 43-yard field goal in overtime.
ODDS AND ENDS: Wide receivers Antonio Chatman (pelvic strain) and Chris Henry (knee, hamstring) and left tackle Levi Jones (ankle) practiced again Thursday. ... Running back Chris Perry (knee, ankle), guard Scott Kooistra and linebacker Hannibal Navies did agility drills on the side. ... Linebacker Brian Simmons (knee) did not practice.
E-mail kkelly@enquirer.com
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Dispatch

8/26/06

Bengals not worried about their ground game

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Rudi Johnson entered camp looking sleek and feeling reborn after playing the 2005 season with a torn knee cartilage.
The results so far haven’t shown it. In two exhibition games, Johnson has minus-5 yards in six carries. Quincy Wilson, who has seen playing time with Cincinnati Bengals starters with Chris Perry out because of an ankle injury, is averaging only 2.6 yards per carry.
So what’s wrong with the Bengals’ running game? Nothing, coaches say.
"I know where we’re at," offensive line coach Paul Alexander said. "We’ll be fine. I see us every day in practice. There were a couple of things we weren’t really sharp on (at Buffalo last week) and that kind of ruined my Friday night, but I think we’ll be OK."
The Bengals aren’t concerned because Johnson is a proven runner who has set the team season rushing record the past two years. He’s the type of runner who gets stronger as the game goes on. Three carries per game isn’t enough to draw conclusions.
Also, the Bengals played last week without starting tackles Willie Anderson and Levi Jones, both of whom are expected to play Monday against Green Bay. In the exhibition opener against Washington, right guard Bobbie Williams didn’t play.
Even more significant is the fact the Bengals aren’t gameplanning. Against the Bills, Cincinnati was stuffed twice at the goal line. Alexander said the Bengals normally use two tight ends in that situation, but didn’t "because we didn’t want to show too much."
Coach Marvin Lewis seems almost bemused at the teeth-gnashing over the running game.
"Whatever the situation is, you want to make some yardage, but we’re trying to look at our players play in different situations and aren’t really worried about different things like that," he said."We’re not worried about the schematics of what and how. We want to see who and how they did as opposed to what."
Adams might return

Lewis indicated that defensive end Sam Adams will make his Bengals debut Monday.
Adams, conservatively listed at 350 pounds, spent training camp working on his conditioning. A three-time Pro Bowler, he is expected to provide a boost to Cincinnati’s run defense.
"He’s a fine, fine athlete," Lewis said. "He’s a big, strong person, very quick and very strong and makes great use of his hands. "He has great understanding of the game, understands the offense and protections, and things like that make your team better.
"We’re lucky to have him here, and now he’ll prove he’s worth his weight."
Lewis then laughed at the weight reference.
"I’m sure he’ll like that one," he said.
Henry trial moved

Receiver Chris Henry’s trial in Florida on concealed-weapons charges has been pushed back. The trial is now expected to be Sept. 5, 12 or 19, with the latter two dates the more likely ones because the courthouse schedule is slow during Labor Day week.
If that’s the case, Henry will likely start the season with the Bengals.
brabinowitz@dispatch.com
 
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DDN

8/26/06

BENGALS NOTES
DT Adams practices, set to play


By Chick Ludwig
Staff Writer

Saturday, August 26, 2006

CINCINNATI — Defensive tackle Sam Adams strapped on shoulder pads Friday and participated fully in a team practice for the first time this preseason. Afterward, his position coach, Jay Hayes, gave a "thumbs up" to Adams starting against Green Bay on Monday night.
"I could tell he was happy to be practicing," Hayes said. "He's been wanting to get out there. He needed to get other things done first. We were happy to see him. He looked very enthused."
<!--endtext--><!--endclickprintinclude-->The 6-foot-3 Adams, whose playing weight is listed at 350 pounds, had been working with strength and conditioning coaches Chip Morton and Ray Oliver to lose weight and increase stamina. He passed a physical exam and was taken off the physically unable to perform list.
Adams wasn't in the open locker room and wasn't made available to the media after practice.
"He still has an enthusiasm to play this game," Hayes said. "To be the size that he is and still want to do the things he has to do to play, you have to have a passion for it. He has a passion for playing."
All systems go
Head coach Marvin Lewis wouldn't reveal how much starting quarterback Carson Palmer will play in his season debut on Monday.
"I'll judge that during the game and go from there," Lewis said. "Just like with anybody else, we don't tell any of them how long they're going to play. We just tell them to play, and then we get to take them out."
Palmer also plans to play Friday at Indianapolis.
"It's his preference to play against Indy," Lewis said. "He expressed that to me a couple weeks ago. We'll follow that plan as well. He'd prefer not to have a bye week, in his mind."
About Favre
Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre's arm is as strong as ever, according to Bengals defensive tackle John Thornton.
"Brett Favre can get downfield anytime he wants," Thornton said. "We're watching film on him now, and he's still making every throw. He's still putting it in there when he probably shouldn't. He can still play a couple (more) years — really, as long as he wants."
Funny line
Walking off the practice field next to rookie offensive guard Nate Livings, offensive line coach Paul Alexander said: "Here he is, the guy who blocked Sam (Adams). He survived."
Henry's trial
Wide receiver Chris Henry's trial in Orlando, Fla., has been rescheduled for either Sept. 5, Sept. 12 or Sept. 19 in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. He's charged with possession of a concealed firearm stemming from a Jan. 28 arrest.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@daytondailynews.com.

DDN

8/26/06

Chatman misses Favre, not old bosses

Receiver says it will be 'weird' on different sideline for Monday's Bengals-Packers game.


By Chick Ludwig
Staff Writer

Saturday, August 26, 2006


CINCINNATI — Wide receiver Antonio Chatman had run a "seam to the post" pattern.
Split out to the left, he knifed through Bengals' coverage and was open in the end zone, looking for a ball that never arrived.
<!--endtext--><!--endclickprintinclude-->Chatman, the Green Bay Packer-turned-Cincinnati Bengal, recalled the final minute of the Bengals' 21-14 victory over the Packers on Oct. 30, 2005 — a game marred by fan interference.
Brett Favre drove the Packers to the Bengals' 28-yard line and took a snap from center when Gregory Gall of Cincinnati, ran onto the field and snatched the ball from Favre's hand. Security chased, tackled and took Gall from the field.
The Bengals, given time to regroup during the delay, sacked Favre on the next play, and the clock ran out after Favre faked a spike and ran downfield.
"I looked back and saw the fan running and taking the ball out of Brett's hand," Chatman said. "It was disappointing because I was open for the tying touchdown."
Chatman, who led the Packers receivers with eight catches for 97 yards that day, signed with the Bengals in the offseason. He faces his former team on Monday, looking for the TD that eluded him last year.
"It's crazy because of the simple fact that I came back here to play Cincinnati last year," Chatman said. "Now Green Bay is coming back, and I'm on the opposite sideline. It'll just feel weird now that I'm on the opposite team."
Chatman said he misses Favre, but not Packers' management. "I felt they didn't respect me," he said. "If you don't feel respected, then you don't need to be there. But I love (Favre). I give thanks to Brett because if it wasn't for him, they probably would've never played me. It took Brett Favre telling the coaches to play me. I'll always be thankful to him for that."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@daytondailynews.com.
 
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ABJ

8/27/06

Lewis unsure how much Palmer will play

JOE KAY

Associated Press

<!-- begin body-content -->CINCINNATI - Coach Marvin Lewis doesn't have a firm plan for how much Carson Palmer will play on Monday night in the quarterback's first game back from reconstructive knee surgery.
Palmer has decided that he's ready to get back on the field for the second-to-last preseason game, against the Green Bay Packers at Paul Brown Stadium. He hasn't been tackled during practice, one of the final tests for his rebuilt left knee.
Starting quarterbacks usually play at least a half of the third preseason game to help the offense get in sync. Teams play their starters less in the final game before the season opener, trying to avoid injury.
Lewis has an idea of how much he'd like Palmer to play on Monday, but will wait to see how he looks before deciding how long to let him go.
"As far as how much he'll play, I'll judge that during the game and go from there," Lewis said Friday, declining to discuss it further.
Palmer tore two ligaments and dislocated his knee cap during Cincinnati's 31-17 playoff loss to Pittsburgh on Jan. 8. He sat out the first two preseason games, feeling he wasn't ready.
His knee still gets some swelling, which is typical for a patient only seven months removed from such extensive surgery. How the knee holds up on Monday night - and how Palmer handles the situation - will go a long way in determining whether he'll be available for the season opener.
Receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said Palmer's teammates are concerned about how he holds up the first time he gets hit.
"He's not going to fall apart," Lewis said. "He's not peanut brittle out there. This is a big, strapping person. He's going to be fine. And we'll put all of T.J.'s worries to rest."
With only three days in-between the final two preseason games, Palmer won't have much time to recover. Lewis will wait until after Monday's game to decide if he'll play against Indianapolis.
"It's his preference to play against Indy," Lewis said. "He expressed that to me a couple of weeks ago. He'd prefer not to have a bye week, in his mind."
Defensive tackle Sam Adams also is expected to play for the first time in the preseason. The Bengals signed Adams as a free agent in April. He showed up overweight, and has spent much of minicamp and training camp getting in shape.
Lewis privately set goals for Adams to reach before he could get into a game.
"A lot of the things that were in Sam's past are things that I've had to deal with and coach out of him," said Lewis, who also coached Adams in Baltimore. "We're lucky to have him here, and now he'll prove he's worth his weight."
After a chuckle and pause, Lewis said, "That's a big statement. I'm sure he'll like that one."
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DDN

8/27/06

All eyes will focus on Palmer's knee Monday night



Sunday, August 27, 2006


Here's hoping the Cincinnati Reds' run at first place in the National League Central lasts a bit longer than Roosevelt Chapman's political career. Velvet's publicity stunt was a beauty. Guess it's always good to get your name out there.
The big game
I love Carson Palmer's "it's just another game" approach to Monday night's Bengals-Packers battle. Who's he kidding? It's just another game like a burger at Tank's is just another slab of meat.
Monday's throwdown at Paul Brown Stadium arguably is the biggest game of the season — and not because Tony Kornheiser will be in town. Face it: If Palmer's knee doesn't respond, if Palmer doesn't pop up off the carpet after getting knocked down, the '06 season is in serious jeopardy.

DDN

8/27/06

BENGALS
Roster will take shape with 24 cuts next week


By Chick Ludwig
Staff Writer


Sunday, August 27, 2006


CINCINNATI — What do tight end Ronnie Ghent, tailback Quincy Wilson, defensive end Jonathan Fanene, linebacker Hannibal Navies and cornerback Patrick Body have in common?
All are perched on the Cincinnati Bengals roster bubble.
The club must make two moves Tuesday to reach the NFL's 75-man roster limit. Twenty-two more players must exit by Saturday — the day after the Bengals' preseason finale at Indianapolis — when rosters gets sliced to 53. So it's a big week for players on the bubble.
"These next two games are real important for you to separate yourself," Ghent said. "But you shouldn't think about what you have no control over, because you'll stress yourself out. Just go out, and execute the game plan the coaches give you, and everything will take care of itself. If it's meant for you to be here, you'll be here. If it's not, then life goes on."
On the eve of the Bengals' nationally televised preseason game against visiting Green Bay, it's time to predict the roster's "Final 53." Of course, some of this could change depending on injuries, but it's worth a shot. Here goes:
Quarterbacks (3): Carson Palmer, Anthony Wright, Doug Johnson.
Running backs (4): Rudi Johnson, Chris Perry, Kenny Watson, Jeremi Johnson. On the bubble: Quincy Wilson.
Wide receivers (7): Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Tab Perry, Antonio Chatman, Chris Henry, Kelley Washington, Reggie McNeal. On the bubble: P.K. Sam.
Tight ends (2): Reggie Kelly, Tony Stewart. On the bubble: Ronnie Ghent, Darnell Sanders.
Offensive line (9): Levi Jones, Eric Steinbach, Rich Braham, Bobbie Williams, Willie Anderson, Andrew Whitworth, Stacy Andrews, Eric Ghiaciuc, Scott Kooistra. On the bubble: Pete Lougheed, Adam Kieft, Ben Wilkerson.
Defensive line (8): Bryan Robinson, Sam Adams, John Thornton, Justin Smith, Domata Peko, Shaun Smith, Robert Geathers, Frostee Rucker. On the bubble: Jonathan Fanene.
Linebackers (8): Brian Simmons, David Pollack, Landon Johnson, Ahmad Brooks, Rashad Jeanty, Marcus Wilkins, Caleb Miller, A.J. Nicholson. On the bubble: Hannibal Navies. Note — Odell Thurman does not count against the 53-man roster. The club gets an exemption for Thurman, who is suspended the first four games, for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.
Defensive backs (9): Deltha O'Neal, Tory James, Dexter Jackson, Madieu Williams, Keiwan Ratliff, Johnathan Joseph, Kevin Kaesviharn, Greg Brooks, Ethan Kilmer. On the bubble: Patrick Body.
Specialists (3): Shayne Graham, kicker; Kyle Larson, punter; Brad St. Louis, long snapper.
Practice squad (8): TB DeDe Dorsey, WR Bennie Brazell, OG Steven Vieira, OG Kyle Takavitz, DE Eric Henderson, DT Marcus Lewis, SS Herana-Daze Jones, SS John Busing. Note — DE Daniel Watts does not count against the eight-man limit. The club gets an exemption for Watts, a London, England, native who is part of the NFL's International Development Practice Squad Program.
Next game
Who:
Packers at Bengals
When: 8 p.m. Monday.
TV: ESPN
Radio: WTUE-FM (104.7)
Key dates
Tuesday:
Roster cut down to 75 players
Saturday: Roster cut down to 53 players
Sept. 3: Clubs may establish practice squad of 8 players
 
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Cincy

8/27/06

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=910 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=585><!--BEGIN: STORY--><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><!-- ARTICLE HEADLINE -->We're talking 'bout practice
NFL players rip 'long' preseason schedule

BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->Two weeks ago, Washington lost starting tailback Clinton Portis with a partly dislocated shoulder suffered in the preseason opener with the Bengals.
Portis, the Redskins' star tailback who rushed for more than 1,500 yards and had 11 touchdowns last season, is questionable for the regular-season opener against Minnesota.
The Bengals already have lost two reserve defensive backs, Anthony Mitchell and Rashad Bauman, for the season because of injuries sustained in exhibition games.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Vikings rookie linebacker Chad Greenway, the 17th overall pick, lasted exactly three plays in his NFL debut against Oakland before he tore his left anterior cruciate ligament. He's out for the year.
It's a rite of August to ask if the NFL preseason schedule - four games - is too long.
Portis, his arm in a sling, said after a 19-3 loss to the Bengals that the preseason needs to be shortened.
"Let's get rid of some of these games," Portis said. "Even the young guys don't need four games to go out and prove themselves. Four games is ridiculous, and then you go out and play a 16-game season, and then you've got the playoffs behind that."
The Bengals will play their third preseason game Monday night against Green Bay.
Many players argue that the duration of training camp and the preseason should be reduced.
Players point to extensive offseason strength and conditioning programs and the 12 on-field practice days allowed by the collective bargaining agreement. Players these days - unlike their counterparts in the past - don't need to hold outside jobs in between seasons and are in top physical condition year-round.
"The thing you realize about the preseason now is it's different than it was 10 years ago because of the offseason program," Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said. "So your offense and your defense have already gone over a lot of things in the spring."
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, expected to make his first preseason start against the Packers, has seemed to benefit from the four-game schedule. He did not play in the fist two games because of his rehab from reconstructive knee surgery Jan. 10. Still, Palmer thinks the preseason is too long.
"Well, two games in the preseason I would still be all right," he said. "I can see from the standpoint of trying to find guys to make your team, but if you can't find the guys you want to be on your team in training camp you have some issues."
The reason the preseason is at least four games is money. The Bengals, for example, sold out their two home preseason games at full ticket, parking and concession prices. Plus, with the Packers game on national television on ESPN's Monday Night Football, the Bengals will make an extra $500,000 in broadcast revenue. The Redskins game also was nationally televised, on NBC, and worth an additional $500,000.
"One game, two games at the most," Palmer said when asked how long the preseason should be. "But if I'm an owner, I'd want it to be four games or six. They're trying to make a ton of money. But it doesn't need to be four games. What ends up happening is the guys who play on Sundays during the season aren't even playing in one of them."
Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh sides with Palmer that the preseason needs to be no more than two games. The prevailing wisdom among many players is a two-game preseason slate would be preferred, even if it means extending the regular season to 18 games.
The preseason used to be longer.
In 1978, when the NFL increased the regular-season schedule from 14 to 16 games, it shortened the preseason schedule from six games to four.
A change in the preseason schedule would have to be approved by three-fourths of the league's 32 teams.
Still, there is a sense among team administrators that the four-game preseason schedule is necessary.
"In my humble opinion, four games is perfect," Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian told The New York Times. "We're not like basketball or baseball, where there's not nearly as much contact. You need the four games to integrate players into your system. Linemen need the physical contact, as do linebackers, to get ready for the season."
Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka bemoans what he calls "soft" training camps and complaints from players about preseason games.
"I know the game is different. But I still think football is football. You have to practice the game pretty close to the level that you want to play it if you want to have timing and you want to have execution," Ditka said. "I'm not faulting anybody. But I think it's because the players are discontented more than anything."
But the players, who bear the direct risk of injury in the preseason games that "don't count," clearly want a short exhibition season. And by extension, even some coaches who risk losing star players to injury don't like the preseason.
"Let me put it this way: I went and watched the Chicago Bulls play the New York Knicks in a preseason game about 15 years ago. I didn't see (Scottie) Pippen and (Michael) Jordan," Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden said. "I saw a lot of Bill Wennington. You know what I mean?"
Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber and brother Tiki Barber, the Giants' star tailback, don't like the preseason, either.
"Tiki says ditch the preseason - totally," Ronde Barber said. "He didn't even have a carry the other day. ... You really want to go out there and compete and get better. But I think the premium for everybody is not to get hurt. You hate to see it."
Players' attitudes toward the preseason were best summed up by Arizona Cardinals running back Edgerrin James, who would like to see no exhibition games played.
After the Cardinals' preseason opener, James said, "We got out in one piece, and that should be the main thing."
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
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Dispatch

8/27/06

Positive attitude is therapeutic
Palmer’s mind-set helped him recover from knee injury

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>
20060827-Pc-E5-0600.jpg
</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>AL BEHRMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>Carson Palmer will take the field — and expose himself to a hit — for the first time since suffering a devastating knee injury 7 1 /2 months ago in a playoff game against the Steelers. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


Carson Palmer never wondered, "Why me? "
That would have been the natural question to ask, of course. In a horrifying instant, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback went from the thrill of starting a playoff game to the agony of having his career thrown into jeopardy after a knee-shredding hit by Kimo Von Oelhoffen of the Pittsburgh Steelers in January.
Yet in the grueling months that followed, Palmer never moped, never asked himself that obvious question.
In his mind, that’s one of the reasons he’s poised to make his return Monday night when the Bengals play host to the Green Bay Packers in an exhibition game.
Instead of dwelling on his misfortune, Palmer steadfastly clung to the goal of starting the season opener Sept. 10 at Kansas City.
"Going through the rehab, it’s easy to be negative and kind of slough your way through it and not go 100 percent in the workout," Palmer said. "If you don’t take it as a challenge and you take it as ‘Woe-is-me, why me?’ your workouts and rehab are going to suffer.
"If you’re positive about it and realize that every workout counts and it can get you to that Sept. 10 date, it’s easier to work hard at it."
Doctors told Palmer that his rehabilitation would take eight to 12 months. He’s returning in about 7 1 /2 months.
"I realized I could set my mind on something over a long period of time, which has been a difficult thing for me to do in the past," Palmer said. "I’m a week-to-week guy, and I just wasn’t sure I could do it through seven months to get to Sept. 10."
Palmer said he began every workout with the determination to attempt every drill. If he couldn’t finish, fine, but he would at least try.
"I’ve been around a fair number of these types of injuries, and I’ve never seen anybody work as hard as he’s working," Palmer’s agent, David Dunn, said in May. "He has a very, very singular focus."
Palmer is also very tenacious, but that tends to be overlooked because of his laid-back nature. He accepts the attention that comes with being a star quarterback, but he’s also embarrassed by it.
"This guy is the most inner, self-motivated guy I’ve ever been around," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "That’s why most people judged him prior to us picking him as not being a great leader, because he’s quiet. What we found is exactly the opposite. He’s such a determined, quiet leader, and I’ve seen him grow so much this offseason with that."
Lewis said Palmer has stood on the sideline and been able to figure out defensive tendencies before the snap.
"You can tell he’s evolving as a leader," second-year receiver Tab Perry said. "He’s a lot more vocal. Sometimes when we’re not on the same page right away because we’re getting the timing back, he’ll come to the sidelines and we’ll talk it out. That’s different than last year when we just kind of watched it on film. This year he’s actually saying, ‘I’m going to do this and I want you to do this,’ getting everybody on the same page."
Palmer acknowledges some trepidation about his return. He hasn’t faced contact since the von Oelhoffen hit, and no one knows how the knee will hold up.
Asked how confident he was that he’ll be the Pro Bowl quarterback he was last year, Palmer said, "There’s a little bit of a doubt. I still have some technique issues I need to get ironed out. But there’s not a doubt that once I get everything ironed out, we’ll be right back where we left off last year."
Whatever happens, Palmer will look on the positive side.
"I‘ve always felt things happen for a reason," he said. "God has a plan for everybody. This (injury) happened for a reason. I may not know exactly why right now; I’ll find out later. But I’ve been very fortunate my whole life — great family, friends, teammates, all that. I just don’t feel I have any reason to feel sorry for myself."
brabinowitz@dispatch.com
 
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ABJ

8/28/06

Palmer's return 1 of many on Monday

JOE KAY

Associated Press

<!-- begin body-content -->CINCINNATI - The first time Carson Palmer jogs onto the field to call a play, the comeback will be complete. The 64,000 fans at Paul Brown Stadium will erupt when Palmer - with a bulky knee brace showing through his tiger-striped pants and socks - lines up to take the first snap Monday night on the same field where he tore up his left knee seven months ago.
No more acting like a patient. He's a player again.
And that means the Green Bay Packers are going to hit him at some point, maybe even take a shot at his legs. When that happens, the air will momentarily go out of the crowd, just as it did the last time he went down.
Can he handle it?
"I'm curious to see how he's going to react, how he's going to hold up," Cincinnati Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. "I'm just hoping he's going to be all right."
Palmer's return is the biggest of several expected Monday night, when the Packers and the Bengals will get a much better read on where they stand heading into the regular season.
Running back Ahman Green, linebacker Brady Poppinga and safety Marquand Manuel are planning to make their first appearances for Green Bay. Green had put together four consecutive 1,100-yard seasons before he tore a tendon in his right thigh midway through last season.
Green is expected to start and carry the ball about a dozen times, giving first-year coach Mike McCarthy an idea of what to expect when the season begins.
"The game will dictate that," McCarthy said. "I want to get him in there and see how he feels after 15 (plays). I want to be smart. I want to take the same approach as we did with the other guys in game one."
The Bengals are going to be cautious with Palmer as well, seeing how he handles his biggest test yet.
Palmer tore ligaments and dislocated his left knee on his first pass of a 31-17 playoff loss to Pittsburgh in January. He hopes to play in the season opener Sept. 10 in Kansas City, exactly eight months after the injury.
How he does on Monday will tell a lot.
"Hopefully I can get through a number of different situations and overcome those obstacles," Palmer said.
The biggest test will come the first time the surgically rebuilt knee gets hit. Palmer hasn't been tackled during practice, so no one knows for sure.
Will the knee swell up? Will Palmer try to protect it? Can he get that awful memory out of his head?
Until recently, he had been looking at the pass rush during practice, trying to make sure no one hit the leg. That's the worst thing a quarterback can do.
"But the last week and a half, I've felt great," Palmer said. "I haven't been looking at the rush, and I've been staring at the defense. I have been looking downfield and not at what's going on around me."
Palmer's doctors believe the knee is strong enough to take a hit. Palmer knows he needs to get hit to help with the psychological part of his comeback.
"If it happens a couple of times, that's great," he said. "My knee is strong enough to withstand it, and I'll have a knee brace on. I won't know how it will react to that until it happens."
Everyone will be watching to see how he reacts.
"I had a chance to be around him a little bit when he was at USC, and you root for guys like Carson Palmer," McCarthy said. "He's a talented young man who has really hit his stride these last two years. You want a guy like that to come back."
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